. >> senator, i served with jack kennedy. i knew jack kennedy. jack kennedy was a friend of mine. senator, you're no jack kennedy. >> it can be a tough line for a washington veteran to walk, touting experience without talking down to an opponent. something that george h.w. bush failed at during his 1984 debate with geraldine ferraro. >> let me help you with the difference, miss ferraro, between iran and the embassy in lebanon. >> geraldine ferraro, the first ever female vp candidate, shot back with this. >> let me just say, first of all, that i almost resent, vice president bush, your patronizing attitude that you have to teach me about foreign policy. >> sometime just one line can cement the public's view of a candidate. ross perot's running mate, admiral james stockdale, initially got laughs for this opening line. >> who am i? why am i here? >> he ended up the butt of jokes for years to come. then there was bob dole's nasty tone during the '76 debate that helped shape a long-lasting negative image for the future nominee for president. >> i figured out the other day, if we added